Why Chic-fil-A is a great role-model for a small business
I was planning recently to write about Chic-fil‑A, but a friend beat me to it. Marcus Sheridan did an excellent job explaining some of the key factors in the tremendous success of this unique company. Instead of repeating everything Marcus said, I recommend you take a few moments to read 8 Reasons Why Chic-fil‑A Has the Best Business Model in America. In addition to Marcus´ comments, I want to give two more reasons I think Chic-fil‑A is a good role-model for a small business: 
Chic-fil‑A has a great model of service — not “can I take your order” service, but really “how can I serve you” service! The CEO, Truett Cathy, is an amazing example of servant leadership from the top down. He is constantly giving back to his community, his church, and his employees. This kind of community involvement is evident at all levels of the chain. Even in the small details, the company exudes genuine service. When you thank a Chic-fil‑A employee for their service, their response isn´t, “uh-huh. Next customer in line please!” or even “you´re welcome.” The service training at Chic-fil‑A teaches employees to respond with a smile and a genuine, “my pleasure!” I really get the feeling that they enjoy serving their customers — probably because those employees feel served by their management. What if all small businesses could really give their customers that feeling: “We love working for you… it´s a privilege!” A successful company is only as good as their employees, and Chic-fil‑A invests wholeheartedly in the success of their people. 
Another standout quality of Chic-fil‑A is their absolute commitment to their core principles. The most prominent example is their chain-wide “Closed On Sunday” policy. The owners are Christians and believe that the Bible teaches Sunday as a day of rest and worship, and they have determined to live by this. They work hard providing an excellent product six days a week, and on Sundays, their employees (religious or not) can take time for family or whatever is most important in their lives. You would think that with time, seeing how many Americans eat out on Sundays (especially after church), the chain would be tempted to cave in on this. They have remained faithful to their principles, however, and this has not hurt their profits or their reputation. First Samuel 2:30b reads, “…But now the LORD declares: ´Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.´” As a small business owner, I can learn from the success of this company and follow their example of remaining true to what I believe. I share the same beliefs as the owners of Chic-fil‑A, and I am reminded to honor God in my business and not compromise, even if it looks like I am losing potential profit. I believe that any small business owner that firmly stands on convictions and refuses to compromise will be successful, especially if he or she is trusting in God.
Chic-fil‑A has a great model of service — not “can I take your order” service, but really “how can I serve you” service! The CEO, Truett Cathy, is an amazing example of servant leadership from the top down. He is constantly giving back to his community, his church, and his employees. This kind of community involvement is evident at all levels of the chain. Even in the small details, the company exudes genuine service. When you thank a Chic-fil‑A employee for their service, their response isn´t, “uh-huh. Next customer in line please!” or even “you´re welcome.” The service training at Chic-fil‑A teaches employees to respond with a smile and a genuine, “my pleasure!” I really get the feeling that they enjoy serving their customers — probably because those employees feel served by their management. What if all small businesses could really give their customers that feeling: “We love working for you… it´s a privilege!” A successful company is only as good as their employees, and Chic-fil‑A invests wholeheartedly in the success of their people. Another standout quality of Chic-fil‑A is their absolute commitment to their core principles. The most prominent example is their chain-wide “Closed On Sunday” policy. The owners are Christians and believe that the Bible teaches Sunday as a day of rest and worship, and they have determined to live by this. They work hard providing an excellent product six days a week, and on Sundays, their employees (religious or not) can take time for family or whatever is most important in their lives. You would think that with time, seeing how many Americans eat out on Sundays (especially after church), the chain would be tempted to cave in on this. They have remained faithful to their principles, however, and this has not hurt their profits or their reputation. First Samuel 2:30b reads, “…But now the LORD declares: ´Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.´” As a small business owner, I can learn from the success of this company and follow their example of remaining true to what I believe. I share the same beliefs as the owners of Chic-fil‑A, and I am reminded to honor God in my business and not compromise, even if it looks like I am losing potential profit. I believe that any small business owner that firmly stands on convictions and refuses to compromise will be successful, especially if he or she is trusting in God.
About David Chism
David Chism started his business out of a passion for helping small contracting businesses grow, be more profitable and become better known to their target clients. One lifelong hobby of David is using techie gadgets. So this blog is a place where he writes about technology, marketing ideas, just for fun (humor), personal thoughts on small business and more.
